A Holistic Approach to Neonatal Resuscitation

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The emerging science of pre and perinatal psychology and developmental neuroscience suggests newborns are conscious and capable of feeling and establishing memory at birth. The science points to the potential for imprinting traumatic events at birth which may then become the foundation for future mal adaptive behavior patterns and mental illness. Pre and perinatal thought leaders are calling for new models of obstetric and neonatal care that acknowledge the consciousness and suffering of babies at the time of the trauma. Nurses at a small community hospital in Portland, Maine have developed a neonatal resuscitation model that honors the consciousness and capability of neonates and may potentially minimize the risk of lasting impact.

References:

Barnett, E., (1987). The role of prenatal trauma in the development of a negative birth experience. Journal of Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Health, 1(3), 191-207.